Carolina RailHawks / Soccer
Long, lonely night of soccer ahead: Patterson-Sewell no longer a RailHawk; US without Davies; will Maradona survive the battle of the Río de la Plata?

When we saw the news that RailHawks keeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell had signed a one-game contract with the MLS New York Red Bulls, we wondered if it was a loan or if the Australian national is a free agent. It appears to be the latter, according to this RailHawks news release.

As for what's next for Patterson, who is no longer under contract with Carolina, he said: "Right now, I'm not too sure. There's a few things in the works. Those things are taking care of themselves."

We've no doubt that Patterson-Sewell, who had 10 clean sheets in 15 league starts in 2009, will easily find new employment, but the tone of this release doesn't give any hint that he'll return to Cary. You can catch him tonight—on the bench, most likely—on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. when the Red Bulls play at Real Salt Lake.

Also on the tube tonight: the USMNT versus Costa Rica. Fans of the US men's national team are stunned by the horrific car accident striker Charlie Davies suffered early Tuesday morning, which left one person dead. Davies is alive but his career is in jeopardy. In the ninth minute (which begins when the game clock strikes 8:01, of course), fans at RFK Stadium will stand in support and sorrow for the U.S.'s No. 9. Game time is 7:30 p.m., and it'll also be on ESPN2.

Last night at Duke University's Griffith Film Theater we saw the remarkable film MARADONA BY KUSTURICA. It's a loving portrait of the irascible, undisciplined and bloated genius that is Diego Maradona, made by this generation's most important filmmaker from the Balkans, Emir Kusturica. The film is really about the Brando-esque afterlife of Maradona: his continuing celebrity and the insanely adoring crowds in Naples and Buenos Aires; his fluctuating weight; appearances on cheesy TV shows; cheering on the Boca Juniors; hanging with his kids and ever-present, long-suffering (ex-) wife Claudia; hanging with Latin American anti-imperialist firebrands Castro, Chávez and Evo Morales; serving as inspiration for the Church of Diego Maradona; the cocaine; and much more.

The Maradona film is part of a film series at Duke University called Soccer and Politics, curated by Laurent Dubois, a professor of history and Romance languages. Next month, the celebrated French national Lilian Thuram will visit the Triangle as part of Dubois' program. The soccer great, who is France's all-time leader in international caps and was a key member of the 1998 World Cup champions, will be talking about his foundation's work against racism in soccer. Here's more information.